Alexus Fiordilino gave her first Vincent Fiordilino mother interview nearly eight months after her 18-month-old son was pronounced dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and found alive in the hospital morgue five hours later. She said she thought she had lost him and described rushing back when she learned he was alive.
"I didn’t even think stuff like that happened. I thought I lost my baby, and he was back," she said. "There isn’t a day I don’t think about that day."
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and Feb. 8
Vincent was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center on Feb. 8 after nearly drowning in a swimming pool. The family found him floating face down at a Super Bowl party, and Gilbert Police arrived and performed CPR before paramedics took him to the hospital. Alexus Fiordilino said, "I remember just begging the police officers and the fire department to just save him" and, "I’m saying goodbye. And I’m begging him. I’m just begging Vincent to come back."
He arrived at 6:04 p.m. on Feb. 8. A doctor ordered an arterial blood gas test at 6:08 p.m., labs were collected at 6:11 p.m., and officers asked at 6:13 p.m. whether results on the gas were available. Vincent was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.
Arizona Attorney General’s Office
The family’s attorney said documents show the gas test was canceled, even though the results came in at 6:38 p.m., 18 minutes after Vincent was declared dead. The doctor did not sign his report until the day after Vincent was found alive. Gilbert Police are asking the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to review the case for possible felony child abuse charges against the doctor.
Alexus Fiordilino said, "I remember feeling really grateful. And I remember just wanting to rush to him. I needed to get back to him. I felt so bad that he was alone." She also said, "I think that man failed to do his job properly... He failed my son in every step of the way" and, "We trusted the professionals that took an oath, made a promise, that they would do everything they could. And they looked at my son for whatever reason and decided he wasn’t worth it."
next week
The family’s attorney said a complaint against the hospital and doctor will be filed next week. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office said it has not decided whether to review the case at this time, leaving the family’s complaint as the next step in the record.
